You'll know the chicken is hitting the racks when you hear the music blaring from 88.1 The Park.

That's the chosen radio station for the folks who will be cooking up some 10,500 chicken dinners Sunday, when the Plymouth Rotary Club hosts its 62nd Rotary Chicken Barbecue in Kellogg Park in downtown Plymouth.

The process of putting together the barbecue culminates with the sale — and the eating thereof — of the chicken dinners. It's a process that's a long time coming. Organizers begin meeting in April and meet every other week through the event.

"It's a systematic process, that's for sure," said this year's chairman, Rich Eisiminger. "We figure 10,500 (chickens) is an optimum number that will keep the pit guys from falling out. It gets pretty brutal for them at times."

Consider:

Rotarians and their volunteers cook some 10,500 chickens.

Some 12,000 pounds of charcoal is used.

Volunteers shuck some 11,000 ears of corn.

There's a reason they do it, though.

"Last year, we were able to put $132,000 toward charitable causes in Plymouth and worldwide, including $60,000 that went into scholarships," Rotarian and Plymouth attorney Cam Miller said. "None of it happens without (community) support."

The carnival has become a fall festival mainstay.(Photo11: File photo)

According to Eisiminger, the barbecue provides "about 50 percent" of the Plymouth Rotary Club's funding every year (the annual golf outing is the club's other big fundraiser).

He said organizers are "praying for sunshine" (an early look at a weather app shows a forecast of sunny and 70 degrees) for the well-attended event.

"It's a very popular event ... just one of those things that's a piece of (Plymouth) history," Eisiminger said. "The fall festival wouldn't be the same without it."

Speaking of the annual Plymouth Fall Festival, it opens Friday, Sept. 8, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 10. Some of the highlights this year:

The Plymouth-Canton Little League sponsors bingo 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8. Three special grand slam bingos will be held at 6:45 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.

The antique and classic car show (pre-registration cruise Friday, Sept. 8) takes place Saturday and Sunday.

The Kiwanis Club pancake breakfast is 7 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 9, in The Gathering in Kellogg Park. Tickets are $6 in advance, $7 at the door, and can be ordered in advance by calling Mark Riegal at 734-718-6176 or email markriegal@gmail.com

The Plymouth Civitans host the annual taste fest 6-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, at Station 885 (885 Starkweather) in Old Village. Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-10 (children younger than 5 eat free). Advanced tickets are available at the Plymouth Community Chamber of Commerce office, 850 W. Ann Arbor Trail, or at Station 885.

Rotary Club of Plymouth AM hosts its annual spaghetti dinner 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, in the lot behind E.G. Nick's, off of Harvey, in downtown Plymouth. Tickets are $9 pre-sale, $10 the day of the dinner. The menu includes spaghetti noodles, marinara sauce, meatballs, salad, roll, Jimmy John’s chocolate chip cookie and a bottle of water.